This invention is directed to an ice making apparatus. Specifically, it is directed to an apparatus for making ice of the nugget-forming type, from ice shavings that are compacted.
Prior art apparatus and equipment for making ice of the nugget-forming type, from ice shavings that are scraped from a surface that, in turn, is refrigerated, so that water freezes on a refrigerated surface forming ice, which ice can be scraped from that surface to form ice shavings, and wherein those ice shavings are compacted to be nugget-forming, is known in the art. A representative such apparatus/system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,908, the complete disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. Ice making apparatus and systems in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,908, and other such apparatus and systems, are highly functional. Generally, such apparatus employs a refrigeration system for providing refrigerant to a freezing chamber of the hollow cylinder type. Typically, water is supplied to the freezing chamber and the water becomes frozen due to the refrigerant provided, generally via an evaporator component of a refrigeration system.
Typical of such apparatus, is that a rotatable ice auger fits inside the freezing chamber and is rotationally driven, such that flights of the auger scrape ice that is formed on a cylindrical wall of the freezing chamber. Typically, the ice is conveyed along the auger, to a location where it becomes compressed. The compressed ice is compacted into a solid form, and water is squeezed from it. The solid form ice is then delivered from the apparatus and becomes broken up into nuggets of solid form, prior to or during its delivery to a location of storage or use.